Cap drying and shaping device



Dec. 13, 1955 w. KUENNIGER CAP DRYING AND SHAPING DEVICE Filed March 20, 1953 6/ m w B a 8 2 O 3 A a 2 L 7 5 2 4 AA) INVENTOR. Will/(1m kuenfllger' United States Patent CAP DRYING .AND SHAPING DEVICE William Kuenniger, Hebron, Ind.

Application March 20, 1953, Serial No. 343,700

2 Claims. '(Cl.'223-25) This invention relates to devices for drying and shaping caps and. more particularly to a device for drying and shaping work caps, such as are worn by railroadworkers and miners.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved cap shaping and drying device which holds work caps in proper shape as the caps dry after being laundered and eliminates the necessity for ironing or pressing the caps; which holds the caps to proper size and is adjustable toproperly size caps of different head sizes; which is effective to shape and size substantially the entire band or side portion of a cap; and which is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture, easy to use, and positive and effective in use.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a cap drying and shaping device illustrative of the invention; and

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the device illustrated in Figure 1.

With continued reference to the drawing, the illustrated cap shaping and drying device comprises a flexible and resilient band of elongated, rectangular shape formed of a suitable, resilient sheet material, such as spring steel. The band 10 is longitudinally bent to substantially circular shape and has a length greater than the circumference of the circle corresponding to the maximum head size of caps for which the device is designed, so that the end portions of the band overlap, as indicated at 11 and 12, with one end portion of the band disposed within the other end portion. A loop of elongated, rectangular shape, receives and is secured to the end portion 12 of the band at a location spaced from the corresponding end of the band and slidably receives the end portion 11 near the terminal end of this end portion, and a similar loop 14 of elongated, rectangular shape receives and is secured to the end portion 11 at a location spaced from the corresponding end of the band and slidably receives the end portion 12 near the end of the band at which the end portion 12 terminates. The two loops 13 and 14 are spaced apart circumferentially of the circularly shaped band, and secure the end portions 11 and 12 together in mutually overlapping relationship for longitudinal sliding movements relative to each other.

The band 10 has a width substantially equal to the Width of the bands or side portions of caps to be dried thereon, so that, with the band held in circular shape at the proper head size, a wet cap placed over the band will be shaped and sized to proper size as it dries on the band.

Brackets 15 and 16 are secured to the inner side of the band 10 at diametrically opposite locations around the band with their mid-length locations spaced substantially 90 degrees from the center of the distance between the loops 13 and 14. The bracket 15 comprises an arcu- 2,726,797 Patented Dec. 13, 1955 ately curved sheetmetal strip :17 of elongated, rectangularshape disposed with its concave side facing the concaveside of the band '10, and secured at'its opposite ends'to theinner'side-of the band, and a plate 18 having its side edges shaped to intersecting arcsconforming to the curvature of the bandlfl and the strip 17 disposed between the band 10'and the .strip 17 and secured along one side edge to the innersurface of the band, and along its other side edge to the inner surface of the sheet metal plate 17.

The bracket 16 comprises :an arcuately curved strip -1-9 of sheet material disposed with its concave side opposed to the inner, concave-side of the band 10,- and joined at its ends to the inner-side=of the band and a plate 20 disposed between .the strip '19and.the band 10 and secured along its sideedges to the inner surface of the band and the innersurface of thetstnip :19.

The strips 17 and19 are provided with centrally =disposed apertures and screw threaded nuts 21 and 22 are secured to the strips 17 and 19 on the outer or convex sides of these strips and in surrounding relationship to the central apertures therein.

A shaft 23 extends at one end through the nut 21, and at its other end through the nut 22 and this shaft is provided at its opposite ends with oppositely directed screw threads, as indicated at 24 and 25, so that when the shaft is rotated in one direction the brackets 15 and 16 will be pulled toward each other, and when the shaft is rotated in the opposite direction the brackets will be forced away from each other.

The shaft 23 extends medially through and is journaletl in a hollow frame 26 of rectangluar shape disposed substantially symmetrically of the mid-length location of the shaft and having bearing bosses 27 and 28 secured one on each side wall thereof in which the shaft 23 is journaled. A beveled gear 30 is secured on the shaft 23 within the frame 26 and a shaft 31 is journaled in a bearing boss 32 secured on one end or" the frame 26 centrally of one end of the frame. A beveled gear 33 is mounted on the end of the shaft 31 extending into the housing 26 and meshes with the gear 30, and a knurled knob 34 is mounted on the other end of the shaft 31.

With this arrangement, the shaft 31 can be rotated by the knob 34 to turn the gears 33 and 30 and for rotating the shaft 23 in a selected direction. When the shaft 23 is rotated in a direction to force the brackets 15 and 16 away from each other, the size of the circle encompassed by the band 10 is increased, and when the shaft 23 is rotated in a direction to pull the brackets 15 and 16 toward each other, the size of the circle encompassed by the band 10 is decreased, the end portions 11 and 12 of the band being slidably moved past each other in the corresponding direction as the circle of the band 10 is increased or decreased.

A head-size scale 35 is inscribed on the outer surface of the end portion 11 of the band 10 near on edge of this end portion and between the loops 13 and 14- and this scale extends longitudinally of the band and is indexed by the edge of the loop 14 nearest the loop 13 to indicate the head size of the circle encompassed by the band 1!) at various adjustments of the band.

The device can thus be adjusted to any selected head size and will constitute a firm and rigid frame on which work caps can be dried, and which will shape and size the work caps as they dry on the device.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and ends in sliding engagement with each other, a pair of brackets fixed to diametrically opposed portions of said band and arcuately curved inwardly from the band, nuts fixed on said brackets having opposed threads, a first shaft extending through said brackets and having oppositely threaded end portions threaded in the nuts, a frame journaled on said first shaft between said brackets, a second shaft journaled in said frame at right angles to said first shaft, said second shaft having an inner end and an outer end, complementary and meshed gear means fixed on said first shaft and'the inner end of said second shaft within said frame, and a knob on the outer end of said second shaft outside of said frame.

2. In a cap drying and shaping device, a resilient split band having end portions in overlapping relation to each other, said band having an inward side, a single pair of brackets secured to the inward side of the band at diametrically opposed points of the band, said brackets carrying aligned and oppositely threaded nuts, a first shaft extending through the brackets, said first shaft having oppositely threaded ends threaded in said nuts, a rectangular frame having side and ends, said frame being located between the brackets with its sides journaled on said first shaft, a second shaft journaled through one end of the frame and disposed at an angle to said first shaft, said second shaft having an inner end within the frame and an outer end outside of the frame, gear means within the frame and operatively connecting the inner end of the second shaft with said first shaft, and a knob on the outer end of the second shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 11,302 Brown July 11, 1854 769,477 Gray Sept. 6, 1904 1,914,864 Purcell June 20, 1933 2,118,392 Appel May 29, 1938 

